Resilient artificial denture tooth

Abstract

An artificial tooth for use in a denture comprising a base portion, an occlusal portion, and an intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to the base portion and occlusal portion, the intermediate portion being resilient to permit the occlusal portion yieldably to move relative to the base portion. The intermediate portion is disposed generally at equal vertical distances from the occlusal surface of the occlusal portion and the ridge lap surface of the base portion. An anchor wire or wires or other connecting members are provided for limiting the movement of the occlusal portion relative to the base portion. Such an anchor wire may preferably be rigidly connected to the occlusal portion and loosely pivotally connected to the base portion with the anchor wire extending downwardly through the sandwiched intermediate portion. The loose pivotal connection permits the occlusal portion to move from its normal position toward the base portion even by tipping movement. Two such anchor wires prevent the occlusal portion from twisting relative to the base portion. The anchor wire or wires prevents the occlusal portion from moving from its normal position away from the base portion.

I claim: 
     
       1. An artificial tooth comprising a rigid base portion providing a ridge lap surface, a rigid occlusal portion providing an occlusal surface, a resilient intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to said base portion and occlusal portion, and means for connecting said occlusal portion to said base portion, said connecting means including a connecting member having one of its ends rigidly connected to said occlusal portion, and its opposite end pivotally and loosely connected to said base portion to permit controlled limited movement of said occlusal portion relative to said base portion, said connecting member extending through said resilient intermediate portion, said connecting member being a U-shaped anchor wire, the base of which is rigidly secured to said occlusal portion to provide a pair of vertically extending legs and the distal ends of which are loosely pivotally secured to said base portion. 
     
     
       2. An artificial tooth comprising a rigid base portion providing a ridge lap surface, a rigid occlusal portion providing an occlusal surface, a resilient intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to said base portion and occlusal portion, and means for connecting said occlusal portion to said base portion, said connecting means including a connecting member having one of its ends rigidly connected to said occlusal portion, and its opposite end pivotally and loosely connected to said base portion to permit controlled limited movement of said occlusal portion relative to said base portion, said connecting member extending through said resilient intermediate portion, said intermediate portion being disposed generally half way between said occlusal surface and said ridge lap surface to provide upper and lower generally horizontally extending surfaces secured respectively to said occlusal portion and base portion, said occlusal portion and base portion and base portion providing respectively lower and upper surfaces contacting said intermediate portion surfaces, said lower and upper surfaces of said occlusal portion and base portion being generally congruently superposed with each other and with said intermediate portion surfaces, each said surface having an outer perimetral boundary, and said connecting member being disposed centrally within the boundaries of said surface, said connecting member being a U-shaped anchor wire, the base of which is rigidly secured to said occlusal portion to provide a pair of vertically extending legs, the distal ends of which are loosely pivotally secured to said base portion, said base portion being provided with vertically extending clearance holes through which said legs extend, said distal ends of said legs being turned at said ridge lap surface to prevent vertical movement of said legs away from said base portion. 
     
     
       3. An artificial tooth comprising a rigid base portion providing a ridge lap surface, a rigid occlusal portion providing an occlusal surface, a resilient intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to said base portion and occlusal portion, and means for connecting said occlusal portion to said base portion, said connecting means including a pair of connecting members, each member having one of its ends rigidly connected to said occlusal portion, and its opposite end pivotally and loosely connected to said base portion to permit controlled limited movement of said occlusal portion relative to said base portion, said connecting members extending through said resilient intermediate portion, said connecting members being spaced apart in a central mesial-distal plane section of said tooth, said connecting members extending generally vertically between said occlusal portion and base portion, said basse portion providing vertically extending clearance holes extending vertically toward said ridge lap surface for receiving respectively said connecting members, said clearance holes being enlarged at their bases to provide sockets in said base portion, and said connecting members having enlarged ends trapped in said sockets. 
     
     
       4. An artificial tooth for use in a denture comprising a rigid base portion, a rigid occlusal portion, a resilient intermediate portion disposed between said base portion and said occlusal portion to permit said occlusal portion yieldably to move relative to said base portion, and means for connecting said occlusal portion to said base portion, said connecting means providing for limited movement of said occlusal portion relative to said base portion, said occlusal portion having a normal unloaded position relative to said base portion, said connecting means including a pair of anchor wires extending between said occlusal portion and said base portion, each of said wires being rigidly connected at one end to said occlusal portion and loosely pivotally connected at the other end to said base portion, said loose pivotal connections of said wires permitting said occlusal portion to move from its normal position toward said base portion to compress said intermediate portion and preventing movement of said occlusal portion from its normal position away from said base portion. 
     
     
       5. An artificial tooth for use in a denture comprising a base portion, an occlusal portion, and an intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to said base portion and occlusal portion, said intermediate portion being resilient to permit said occlusal portion yieldably to move relative to said base portion, said occlusal portion providing, at its upper end, an occlusal surface and said base portion providing, at its lower end, a ridge lap surface, said intermediate portion being disposed generally at equal vertical distances from said occlusal surface and said ridge lap surface, said base portion being elongated in the mesialdistal direction, and a plurality of occlusal portions and intermediate portions are provided, each intermediate portion being sandwiched between one of said occlusal portions and said elongated base yieldably resiliently to support said one occlusal portion. 
     
     
       6. An artificial tooth for use in a denture comprising a base portion, an occlusal portion, and an intermediate portion sandwiched between and secured to said base portion and occlusal portion, said intermediate portion being resilient to permit said occlusal portion yieldably to move relative to said base portion, said occlusal portion providing, at its upper end, an occlusal surface and said base portion providing, at its lower end, a ridge lap surface, said intermediate portion being disposed generally at equal vertical distances from said occlusal surface and said ridge lap surface, said base portion and said occlusal portion providing respectively upper and lower generally horizontally extending bonding surfaces and said intermediate portion providing generally horizontally extending upper and lower surfaces bonded respectively to the lower and upper bonding surfaces of said occlusal portion and base portion, said bonding surfaces of said base portion and occlusal portion being provided with cavities therein for receiving the resilient material of said intermediate portion. 
     
     
       7. An artificial tooth for use in a denture comprising a rigid base portion, a rigid occlusal portion, a resilient intermediate portion disposed between said base portion and said occlusal portion to permit said occlusal portion yieldably to move relative to said base portion, and means for connecting said occlusal portion to said base portion, said connecting means including a pair of connecting members spaced apart in a central mesial-distal plane section of said tooth, each member having an upper end rigidly connected to said occlusal portion and a lower end pivotally and loosely connected to said base portion to permit controlled limited movement of said occlusal portion relative to said base portion. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 in which said occlusal portion has a normal unloaded position relative to said base portion, said connecting members being formed, at their lower ends, to engage said base portion to prevent movement of said occlusal portion from its normal position away from said base portion and to permit movement of said occlusal portion toward said base portion as resisted by said resilient portion.